Gyroscopic Investing

From 1964 to 1973, the U.S. dropped more than two million tons of ordnance on Laos during 580,000 bombing missions—equal to a planeload of bombs every 8 minutes, 24-hours a day, for 9 years - making Laos the most heavily bombed country per capita in history.....

Here are some other startling facts about the U.S. bombing of Laos and its tragic aftermath:

Over 270 million cluster bombs were dropped on Laos during the Vietnam War (210 million more bombs than were dropped on Iraq in 1991, 1998 and 2006 combined); up to 80 million did not detonate.

Nearly 40 years on, less than 1% of these munitions have been destroyed.More than half of all confirmed cluster munitions casualties in the world have occurred in Laos.

Each year there are now just under 50 new casualties in Laos, down from 310 in 2008. Close to 60% of the accidents result in death, and 40% of the victims are children.

Between 1993 and 2016, the U.S. contributed on average $4.9M per year for UXO clearance in Laos; the U.S. spent $13.3M per day (in 2013 dollars) for nine years bombing Laos.

In just ten days of bombing Laos, the U.S. spent $130M (in 2013 dollars), or more than it has spent in clean up over the past 24 years ($118M).

MangoMan wrote:I knew it was bad, but this is just mind boggling. How sad.

farjean2 wrote:

MangoMan wrote:I knew it was bad, but this is just mind boggling. How sad.

Yes it is. In the documentary I watched, an American was going through the countryside trying to help people deal with pain in phantom limbs that weren't there any more using new techniques. Do you know anybody with missing limbs from un-exploded ordinance in your neighborhood? I don't but it seems to be quite common in Laos.

As I understand it, similar things happened in Cambodia too.

Although I was just a two-bit, enlisted nobody I had some direct involvement in this atrocity so it really hits home to me.

The article says it happened from 1964 to 1973. I think it was mostly Nixon who was to blame although the year 1964 would lay it at the feet of LBJ as the instigator. If those two men weren't war criminals then what is the definition of a war criminal any way?

moda0306 wrote: I've also heard "People's History of the United States" is a good read by Howard Zinn, but I haven't tapped that.

Kriegsspiel wrote:It's funny, isn't it. War.

farjean2 wrote:

Kriegsspiel wrote:It's funny, isn't it. War.

Just think of how much more funny it could have been if we had actually been at war with Laos.

Kriegsspiel wrote:

farjean2 wrote:

Kriegsspiel wrote:It's funny, isn't it. War.

Just think of how much more funny it could have been if we had actually been at war with Laos.

I think if we could have been open about it, someone would have given Studies and Observation Group teams* the acronym LICE.

* Small 3-5 man teams inserted deep behind enemy lines to rescue airmen and cause general chaos.

To hide American involvement, teams wore Asian uniforms with no rank and often carried foreign-made weapons. Even underwear and rations were from Asian countries. They called it “going in sterile.”

farjean2 wrote:

Kriegsspiel wrote:

farjean2 wrote:
Just think of how much more funny it could have been if we had actually been at war with Laos.

I think if we could have been open about it, someone would have given Studies and Observation Group teams* the acronym LICE.

* Small 3-5 man teams inserted deep behind enemy lines to rescue airmen and cause general chaos.

There WERE American boots on the ground in Laos....

https://www.nytimes.com/2016/07/31/us/s ... .html?_r=0

To hide American involvement, teams wore Asian uniforms with no rank and often carried foreign-made weapons. Even underwear and rations were from Asian countries. They called it “going in sterile.”

"The medic, Sgt. Gary Rose, was part of the secret Studies and Observations Group, an elite division of Special Forces. After the assault, the group recommended him for the military’s highest award, the Medal of Honor. But at the time, President Richard M. Nixon was denying that American troops were even in Laos. "

Marlb10 wrote:Wow! Is this really true? Damn man that is terrible.

farjean2 wrote:

Marlb10 wrote:Wow! Is this really true? Damn man that is terrible.

Unfortunately yes. Not just Laos but Cambodia too. Had some involvement with the latter myself.

Vietnam still has major problems with unexploded ordinance too, mostly in the South which we were supposedly there to save. We lost the war but I guess we left them lots of parting gifts to remember us by.